She was having a normal workday until a bunch of Victorian carolers, sent by her son, followed her through the day
Kurt's mother has always been a fan of Christmas carols. So when this year's holiday season began, he decided to surprise her in the most hilarious way possible. He hired a group of carolers, the Yuletide Carolers, not just once but for the entire day. Sharing the funny post on his Instagram handle @kurttocci on December 5, Kurt left the internet in stitches, per Today.
Instagram content creator Kurt Tocci is known for bringing new surprises to his mother, Barb, every Christmas season. This year was no different. "Each year for Christmas, I try to do something unique, whether it's a treat, a gift, or an experience. But it's harder and harder to come up with things to do, so I really try to think outside the box," he told Today. This time, he decided to pull off a hilarious prank that earned the internet's full approval. He invited the Yuletide Carolers, a Victorian carol group who usually sing for events and parties, but asked them to sing to his mother repeatedly throughout the day. In the video shared online, the carolers surprise Barb in her office at around 11 am by singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".
Barb, amused, assumed that was the end of the surprise. But Kurt had other plans. When she walked into her living room, the carolers emerged again to sing "Deck the Halls." Laughing, Barb asked them, "Do you want to stay for dinner?" Kurt then revealed the twist, telling her, "But they're going to follow you around all day!" Barb did not plan on staying home for a day-long private concert. She headed out to get Starbucks and shop for ingredients to prep her Italian meatballs for Christmas Eve. At the Starbucks drive-thru, the carolers seated in the back of the car sang "Jingle Bells." Before placing her order, she had to shush the group but they transitioned to "Silent Night."
A 2025 study published in Psychology and Marketing explored gag gifting, which involves giving humorous gifts that include playful jokes. The study found that people choose and interpret gag gifts in ways that show how humor shapes the emotional meaning of a gift. Barb's cheerful reaction to her son's playful prank shows her ability to take things in good jest. Later, when she visited the King Soopers grocery store, the carolers sang "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." By this point, Barb had fully embraced the private concert. When she returned home, they sang her with "Joy to the World" while she prepared the meatballs.
Soon after the post gained traction, many users shared their reactions. @uriah.l wrote, "So are you gifting your mom the 12 Days of Christmas items?" @somialoves commented, "Umm can we talk about your mom fronting & facing in the grocery store- she brought up from the back that will either help the next person grab that box or the staff when they're fronting & facing." @jackie_1107 shared, "Do they eat, use the bathroom, stop in between? I have so many questions haha."